Self-opening-switch lock



June 10; 1930. w SWEET 1,762,202

SELF OPENING SWITCH LOCK Filed July 3, 1925 Patented June 10, 1930UNITED STATES BURTON W. SWEET, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR PATENT;OFFICE."

TO THE VAN onn ELECTRIC,

r001. coMrANY, or CLEVELAND, OHIO SELFaQPENING-SWITGH LOCK Applicationfiled July .3,

This invention relates to motor-hand toolsand particularly to the gripand control mech anism.

Motor hand tools of various types have been provided with variousconstructions, and

arrangements of grips or handles and various types of controllers orswitches, effort being made to render the handle effective forsupporting the tool and the switch or controller accessible to theoperator. Some effort has been made to adapt the grip of a pistol handleor. the like to tools of this sort with the idea that a pistol grippresents a handle construction which enables the operator to manipulatethe toolin a handy manner. The difiiculty with this type of grip, whenconstructed strictly along the lines of a pistol grip, is that motorhand toolsare much heavier than pistols andare of necessity balanced'ina little difierent manner. It has also been the practice heretofore topro vide a control lever in the form of a trigger arranged much like thepistol trigger for actuating the switch, but here againthe uses to whichthe tool isput and the balance of V the tool prevent the effective useof the trigger in the same manner in which it is useable in the pistol.

In view of the foregoing, the present invention relates to a motor handtool wherein the handle or grip is arranged to project downward in awell known fashion so that it may be grasped by the hand of the operatorwith its handle provided toward the rear with a curved bulge orprojection similating the upper part of the handle of a hand saw andarranged to nest nicely in the'fieshy crouch of the hand between thethumb and the first finger. In addition to this supporting. lug orprojection, the handle is provided with a 0011 trol lever or triggerarranged at the front and slightly above the supporting surface of thisprojection so that it is in convenient and normal position for actuationby a finger of the operator.

Other features of the invention reside in the particular arrangement ofthe parts of the controller or switch whereby it is responsive to theaction of a control lever in making and breaking the circuit to themotor anismtobe described. Theswitch and handle or "cured thereto leafswitch'contacts 9 and 10 1925. Serial No. 41,452.

and tolatching mechanism for holding the self-opening switch closed whendesirable. i

Other features of the invention willybe brought out in the followingdescription,

drawings and claim. Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1 is 'a sideelevation, partly in section, of a grip'fand controller mounted upon ahand tool-which is only partially'shown, but which may be of' any of thevarious'types wen'knewn in the art; Fig. 2 is a section upon the line22, Fig.'1 and Fig. 3 is a section upon the'line 33, Fig. 1.

In the arrangement shown in the drawings,

the motor casing is indicated at 1 and may be of any of the wellapproved types ofcasing used in motor' hand tools. This'casing housesthe motor parts and is provided with the'usual 'capx2 and gear housing3. The

main casing is also provided with a surfaced portion 4 on its side forreceiving a switch 7 box 5. This switch box is provided with the susualcable clamp 6 for receiving the incoming-cable 7; ,The switch boxis open tofthe motor casing and is also'open at the opposite side whereits'edge supports the switch mech- M grip mechanism comprises anlnsulatlng block 8 havlng se spaced from each other and adapted to yieldingly'receive a conducting bridge ring 1 1. swiveledfonthe outerend oofaswitch arm 12 pivoted at 13 to a suitable support 14 secured to theinsulating block 8.. Thislever is limited on" its on and off positionsres'pectively by stops [15 and 16. The switch arm '12 intermediateiitsends, is connected by a pin 17 with the toggle link 1 8,the outer end ofwhich is connected by ,a pin 19 with an operating rodpr link'20lextending through the insulatingblockts into the handle'structnr to be'described: A coiledspringfll is connected to the pivots 13 and l9 andserves to throw the switch arm intotheon? or 0B position, when the link'18is brought into the proper position b the rod or link 20.- Theinsulating blockis s'ecure'd in any su1table manner to the, handle'body22 which is of the same "sizefas the insulating blo'ck' 8and is providedwith a downwardly extending handle or grip 23 preferably oval in crosssection to fit nicely in the grasp of the hand of the operator. Thishandle near the front edge of the body portion 22, is preferably hollowand is provided in its front wall with a slot 24 indicated in dottedlines, for receiving the switch operating lever or trigger 25. Thistrigger is pivoted at 26 and has its rear arm 27 connected by a pin 28to the rod or link 20 intermediate its ends. The lower end of this rod20 is connected to a spring 29 extending down on the inside of thebanlug 31 which curves rearwardly and downwardly and also is curvedtransversely so as to fit in the fleshy crouch portion of the handbetween the thumb and first finger and forms a support for the entiretool with the fingers free for the manipulation of the controller.

' This lug is shown cast integral with the handle and is provided with are-enforcing web 32 between it and the body portion 22. The upper edgesof the body portion 22 are grooved at 33 and 34 which, when the bodyportion is applied to the insulating block,

form guiding recesses for a latching controller slide 35 extendingtransversely of the tool and handle. This slide, as shown in Fig. 3, isprovided with an enlarged portion 36 provided with a rectangular opening37 adapted to receive the rod or link 20. One sideedge of the materialat the opening 37 is bent upwardly to form a lip 38 for the purpose tobe described. Both ends of the slide are bent downwardalong the sides ofthe body portion, as shown, to provide operating parts for moving theslideffrom one position to another. The rod or link 20 is preferablybuilt up of two parts and one of these gparts is: bent to form ashoulder 39 adapted to engage over the lip 38. and thereby arresting theparts of the switch against "the action of the spring 29 resulting inholding the switch in the on position. The

slide is normally moved to the left or unlatching position by a spring40 secured to Leo the slidev and to the body portion. In order to ensurethe latch holding the switchin this position, the shoulder 39 isundercut slightly, as shown in Fig. 2, to prevent the spring 40 groinmoving the slide from underthe shoul- In opera ion the operator graspsthe handle or grip andpermits the lug or saw handle support; 31 to restin the fleshy crouch between the thumb and first finger of the hand withthe trigger extending outward in a;position to be readilyengaged by thefingers of the operators hand. The operator is then able to direct themovement of the tool and to control its operation by ready manipulationof the switch lever or trigger. If he actuates the lever toward thehandle or toward the position shown in Fig. 1, the switch will be thrownto the on position and the tool will be in operation. A release of thecontrol lever or trigger causes the switch to automatically move to theoff position. If the operator should desire to hold the switch in the onposition, he moves one finger to a position where it can shift the slide35 and bring its lip into position under the shoulder 39 with the resultthat the switch will be arrested against the action of the spring 29 andthe tool will continue to operate until released. Release may be broughtabout by pressing the opposite end of the slide 35 or by again pullingupon the trigger which will result in the release of the slide throughthe action of its spring 40.

Having described my invention, I claim:

In a tool of the class described, a tool-sup porting handle, aself-opening switch and operating mechanism adapted for switch-closingoperation by a finger of a hand having a tool-supporting grasp on saidhandle, a latch associated with said mechanism and adapted for operatoractuation to maintain the switch closed, said latch and said operatingmechanism having for the purpose cooperating engaging parts, said partsbeing adapted when engaged to maintain the latch in latching position,and means yieldably urging said latch from latching position wherebyrelease of said mechanism from said latch will follow operation of saidmechanism.

In testimony whereof I hereby aflix my signature.

BURTON W. SWEET.

